News|CourtsFar-right US influencer Candace Owens loses legal fight to enter AustraliaAustralian minister cited US influencer’s public comments downplaying the Holocaust and making Islamophobic remarks.

The High Court of Australia has upheld the government's decision to deny a visitor visa to American influencer Candace Owens. The court concluded that granting the visa could potentially incite discord within the Australian community.

The court's ruling, delivered on Wed, Oct 15, 2025, affirmed the application of a provision in Australia’s Migration Act. This provision allows visa denial if there is a risk that the individual may incite dissension or strife within the community.

Owens, a political commentator known for her controversial views, applied for an Australian visa in November 2024 with the intention of conducting a commercial speaking tour. The application was rejected by Australia’s Home Affairs Minister, Tony Burke, in October 2024. The denial was based on the potential risk of her views leading to increased hostility and violent or radical actions.

The High Court unanimously ruled that the implied freedom of political communication in Australia is not an unlimited personal right. Judges Stephen Gageler, Michelle Gordon, and Robert Beech-Jones elaborated on the decision, citing Owens's public comments on topics such as antiracism, Black Lives Matter, anti-Semitism, and LGBTQ rights as contributing factors to the denial.

Minister Burke's assessment found Owens's views to include extremist and inflammatory comments towards various communities, including Muslim, Black, Jewish, and LGBTQIA+ groups. The minister concluded that Owens failed the "character test" necessary for visa approval, deeming her entry not in the national interest.

In a separate decision earlier in July, Australia also revoked the visa of US rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, due to concerns about promoting Nazi ideologies.

Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.